HAMBURG, Germany – Former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has called for a more inclusive and collaborative approach to international development cooperation, urging global leaders to embrace partnerships that reflect today’s changing economic and development realities.
Osinbajo made the call at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference, where he participated in a series of high-level engagements in his capacity as Co-Chair of the Future of Development Cooperation Coalition (FDCC).
On the sidelines of the conference, the former vice president met with Olaf Scholz, former Chancellor of Germany, and Laura Chinchilla, former President of Costa Rica and Co-Chairs of the newly launched South-North Coalition on Development. The discussions focused on how both initiatives could work together to build a more responsive and effective global development cooperation framework.
According to Osinbajo, the meeting explored opportunities to align the objectives of both coalitions in addressing emerging global development challenges through stronger international partnerships.
He also joined Maropene Ramokgopa, South Africa’s Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, for a panel discussion on reimagining international cooperation, where participants examined ways of strengthening multilateral collaboration in an increasingly interconnected world.
A key highlight of the conference was a closed-door dialogue convened by the Future of Development Cooperation Coalition, during which Osinbajo and Alexia Latortue, Head of the Coalition’s Secretariat, brought together leaders from government, international organizations, the private sector, philanthropy, finance, and civil society to review the Coalition’s emerging principles.
Speaking on the engagement, Osinbajo said the objective was not to seek endorsements but to encourage frank and constructive conversations that would strengthen the Coalition’s work.
He noted that meaningful development partnerships are built through open dialogue, adding that robust debate and diverse perspectives are essential to developing practical solutions to global challenges.
As the Coalition prepares to move from its consultation phase to the publication of its guiding principles, Osinbajo said the process has reinforced the importance of collaboration in shaping the future of international development.
According to him, no single institution can address today’s complex development challenges alone, stressing that the future of global cooperation will depend on the collective ability of governments, development partners, businesses, and civil society organizations to listen, adapt, and work together toward shared goals.
The Hamburg Sustainability Conference brought together policymakers, development experts, business leaders, and representatives of international organizations to discuss innovative approaches to sustainable development, global partnerships, and economic transformation.
